Incinerator

ABSTRACT

This application discloses an incinerator or trash burner construction of the basket type which provides controlled air and combustion gas flow for improved combustion, cooler outflow gases, cooler outer exposed surfaces, reduced outflow of fly particles, and an improved overall structure.

United States Patent lnventor Robert P. Wahler 724 Tucker SL, Williamsport, Pa. 17701 Appl. No. 889,579

Filed Dec. 31, 1969 Patented Aug. 31, 1971 INCINERATOR 9 Claims, 4 Drawing F1gs.

U.S.Cl. 110/1811 Int. Cl. F23g 5/00 Field olSearch 110/8 R, 18 R, 18 C [56] References Cited 1 UN lTED STATES PATENTS 1,124,529 1/1915 Rudd 110/18 1,891,069 12/1932 Suciu 110/18 2,035,167 3/1936 Korach 110/18 2,850,991 9/1958 Thompson 1 10/18 'IPrimary Examiner-Kenneth W. Sprague ABSTRACT: This application discloses an incinerator or trash burner construction of the basket type which provides controlled air and combustion gas flow for improved combustion, cooler outflow gases, cooler outer exposed surfaces, reduced outflow of fly particles, and an improved overall structure.

PATENTED AUG31 I97! 3.602.163

INVENTOR.

ROBERT P. WAHLER mama] was] IBH (1602.163

SHEET 2 0F 2 IO N Fig. 4

INVENTOR.

ROBERT P. WAHLER INCINERATOR BACKGROUND OF INVENTION The-burning of leaves, trash, paper, and other refuse around homes is a common and dangerous practice. When the material is burned in piles it creates excessive smokeandfly. material, much of it still burning and likely to cause harmful blazes.

The troubles are relieved somewhat by burning the material in wire baskets but still the combustion in. inefficient for, lack of controlled air and gas flow, producing excessive smoke;.and there is'dang er of injury to property or persons'byheat'and flames.

There have been many proposed forms of incinerators which avoid openly exposed baskets and which provide some control of air and combustion gases. However, so far as applicant is aware, there have been no prior constructionswhich.

provide the desired effective control of air and gases to inhibit the free escape of fly material, to promote the coolingof combustion gases, to improve the cooling of the outer exposed surfaces of the casing, and to provide improvements in design, construction, efficiency, convenience, and economy, such as are provided hereby. 1

SUMMARY OF INVENTION The present invention provides a clean, safe, economical, and efficient incinerator or burner of the household'or yard basket type for the disposal of waste combustibles without the aid of supplemental heat, as from gas, oil, electricity, or the like, and with a minimum discharge of pollutant gases and fly refuse material into the air ambient.

The objects are achievedby placing the combustiblesin an openwork basket, as of expanded steel mesh, woven wire, or the like, inducing a very abundant inflow of air from'below into and around the sides of the basket, and directing the flow of air and gases in such manner that the surplus-outer body of air is heated and speeded by the interior burning material and directed into the stack so as to mix with, the combustion gases to complete the burning, cool the emergent gases, and keep fly particles from escaping until fully burned.

The apparatus is so constructed that the cover carries thestack and gas mixing components and is hinged for ready opening for introducing material; also so that the basket can be readily inserted or removed; and so that unburned'material can be readily discharged at the bottom of the basket and removed. The apparatus also provides improved base structure with means for producing abundant air inflow at the bottom.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT The incinerator illustrated comprises a base supported by four vertical posts 10; the base further including three sideplates 11 secured, as by welding, to the posts 10 on three sides, leaving the front side open for insertion of an ashpan; bottom plates 12 secured to the comer posts 10 and sideplates 11, as by welding; and a base top plate 13 secured, as by welding, to the tops of the posts 10. The sideplates 11 are relatively narrow, extending only part way up the height of the posts to leave wide open space all aroundfor the abundant inflow of air. The bottorn plates 12.on the sides provide ample ground support but, if desired, a full transverse baseplate may be provided. 1 I The bottom plates 12 also provide a sliding support-for an ash receiver orpan 14 havinga front handle.'l5.'-'l'he ashpan 14 is of considerable less depth than the he'ght'of. the-posts 10, leaving ample space above it for the inflow-of air.- 1"

The base', isi preferably made rectangular," specifically square, for convenience and economy of manufacture; 1

In order to reduce the possible escape of fly materialgs'uch as ashes orburning bits of material, a base shield skirt 16 is provided. This skirt, preferably, is flared outward at the 'bottom with the lower edge disposed at an elevation below the top edge of the sideplates 11 but at a considerable height above the support plates 12 or ground level so as to leave ample space for the inflow of air. The skirt I6 comprises three plates secured, as by welding, to the outer edges of the base top plate 13 and to each other on the back and sides, and a front plate or door 17 which is hinged at the upper edge, as by hinge means 18, to the front edge of the base top plate 13 and provided with ahandle 19 for lifting it for removal or insertion of the ashpan 14. If desired, the fixed skirt plates may be rigidified and braced'by strip connections (not shown) to the posts 10 and sideplates ll.

The base top plate 13 has a large opening, preferably circular, outside the edge of which there is secured, as by welding, an upstanding cylindrical shell or barrel 20 which forms the support or casing for parts above the base structure.

Projections 21 on the sides of the baseplate 13 extend inward into the inner opening locally to support bearing brackets 22 which carry the shaft 23 of a grate 24. One end of the shaft 23 extends through a hole in the casing shell 20 and has an operating handle 25 secured thereto. The grate is overbalanced to one side of its shaft, the handle 25 adding to the overbalance, and the heavy side is provided with a bottom rest 26 in the form of a bracket secured to the base top plate 13 at the rear edge of the opening. When operated, the grate throws brackets of the lower set having bottom extensions 29 for supporting the basket and these bottom extensions being turned up at the inner end to hold the basket in shape, if desired. They are so shown. Swing hooks (not shown) may be provided at the top brackets to hold the top of the basket in shape, if

desired.

The grate 24 is of such size and so positioned as to close most of the space at the lower end of the basket 28 but free to be turned therein to dump material.

The basket 28 is substantially concentric within the outer shell 20 and is spaced a considerable distance therefrom so as to leave a wide annular space for the upflow of air.

Preferably the basket has an apertured wall for its full height for the inflow of air from the sides at any point at which material is burning or up through material to the burning zone. Conveniently, the basket is made of expanded steel or wire mesh in a simple tubular form.

A generally conical cover 30 is hinged to the back side of the top edge of the shell 20, as by a hinge unit 31 with a removable pin 32, the cover having a downwardly projecting reinforced bottom rim of edge 33 which closely embraces the upper end edge of the shell when the cover is closed. A handle 34 is secured to the front side of the cover.

The cover comprises a frustoconical outer shell 35, an inner frustoconical shell 36 spaced inwardly from the outer shell, and a central stack 37. The outer shell 35 is turned inward at 38 and secured to the stack 37, as by welding. The inner shell 36 is secured at its upper end to the stack 37 near its lower end, as by welding. The connection with the stack will support the inner shell but, if desired, narrow bracing spacers (not shown) which do not materially obstruct gas flow may be secured between the shells, as by welding.

The shells 35 and 36 are spaced apart by a considerable distance to provide large gas flow space and the stack between the shell connections is provided with a plurality of holes 39 for the flow of air and outer combustion gases from the outer space into the stack.

In use, the basket is filled with material and preferably lighted at the top and the cover closed. Combustion gases tend largely to flow up into the inner cone of the cover and out the stack, while air flows up the annular space around the basket, some entering for burning the material and some passing on up into the outer cone to flow through the holes 39 into the stack where it causes turbulence tending to keep large particles from passing out the stack until they are fully burned. The supplemental air with outer combustion gases entrained from the side is somewhat cooler than the main combustion gases and tends to cool the combustion gases flowing out the stack even though it has assisted in completing the combustion of gases at the zone of turbulence. The upflowing air has been heated, partly used for combustion, and speeded up in passing alongside the combustion zone in the basket so that it does not inhibit final combustion in the stack but it is cooler than the combustion gases flowing directly upward into the stack, hence can be mixing in considerable added volume materially reduce the temperature of the finally emerging gases.

The basket may be charged in batches, with full burning of each basket load before another basket load is charged and ignited; or material may be added on a fire which is already burning in the basket.

The ample volume of air passing up the outer space in the casing and cover tend to keep the outer exposed surfaces relatively cool so that there is reduced likelihood of serious burns if touched by persons and little chance of injury to property.

The bottom skirt allows air to enter freely but prevents ashes and particles from blowing out if the wind is strong. The basket sides may be open or solid material, the latter being shown and preferred to inhibit blowing out of ashes.

The holes in the stack may, in a sense, be considered to produce a kind of venturi action, the speed of combustion gases tending to draw in air from the surrounding annular space; and the velocity and pressure of the supplemental air tending to force it into the stack. While the total volume of gases flowing out the stack is increased, there is enough local agitation and turbulence in the stack in the region of the holes to accomplish the desired effects. The location of the stack holes just above the top of the conical inner shell 30 gives maximum speed and pressure to the added air and ample space for smoke and pollutant gas reduction within the stack. By this arrangement there is much less emission of carbon monoxide than with other constructions.

The bottom arrangement provides ample inflow of air completely around the combustion zone.

The construction is relatively simple and easy to form and erect.

While one embodiment of the invention has been described for purposes of illustration, it is to be understood that there may be various other embodiments and modifications within the general scope of the invention.

1 claim:

1. An incinerator, comprising in combination, an outer casing, an open-sided combustion basket supported within said casing and spaced inwardly therefrom for holding burning material and to provide an air space within the outer casing surrounding the basket, a supporting base for the casing and basket providing inflow of air into said surrounding space, a cover over said casing and basket having an inner chamber and stack for'the upflow of combustion gases from the top of the basket into the stack, and said cover having an outer chamber forming an upward extension of the space surrounding the basket with side passages therefrom into the stack for the inflow of supplemental air and outer combustion gases from the space surrounding the basket into the stack to mix with and agitate the primary combustion gases from said inner chamber.

2. An incinerator as set forth in claim 1, wherein said inner chamber of the cover is formed by a conical inner enclosure attached to a lower portion of said stack and said outer chamber of the cover is formed by a conical outer enclosure attached to the stack at a point above said side passages.

3. An incinerator as set forth in claim 1, wherein said supporting base is provided with a surrounding skirt having its lower edges above a supporting surface level to supply air toall sides of the space surrounding said basket.

4. An incinerator as set forth in claim 1, wherein an ashpan is removably mounted below said basket, a dumpable grate mounted between said basket and pan, and a skirt around said base having a door hinged on side for passage of said pan.

5. An incinerator as set forth in claim 3, in which said skirt is flared outward at the bottom in frustopyramidal shape.

6. An incinerator, comprising in combination, a vertical outer casing, a vertical combustion basket supported in said casing with an annular airspace therebetween, a stack above said casing and basket, a base supporting said casing, a tumable grate mounted below the lower end of said basket, an ashpan removably mounted below said grate, and a skirt surrounding said base and ashpan having a door openable for the insertion and removal of said ashpan, and said skirt having its lower edge disposed above the bottom of said base for the free inflow of air all around said grate and basket.

7. An incinerator as set forth in claim 6, wherein said skirt is flared outward at the bottom.

8. An incinerator as set forth in claim 6,wherein said casing is cylindrical and said base rectangular.

9. An incinerator as set forth in claim 6, wherein means are provided for introducing air from around said basket into combustion gases passing upward from above said basket. 

1. An incinerator, comprising in combination, an outer casing, an open-sided combustion basket supported within said casing and spaced inwardly therefrom for holding burning material and to provide an air space within the outer casing surrounding the basket, a supporting base for the casing and basket providing inflow of air into said surrounding space, a cover over said casing and basket having an inner chamber and stack for the direct upflow of combustion gases from the top of the basket into the stack, and said cover having an outer chamber forming an upward extension of the space surrounding the basket with side passages therefrom into the stack for the inflow of supplemental air and outer combustion gases from the space surrounding the basket into the stack to mix with and agitate the primary combustion gases from said inner chamber.
 2. An incinerator as set forth in claim 1, wherein said inner chamber of the cover is formed by a conical inner enclosure attached to a lower portion of said stack and said outer chamber of the cover is formed by a conical outer enclosure attached to the stack at a point above said side passages.
 3. An incinerator as set forth in claim 1, wherein said supporting base is provided with a surrounding skirt having its lower edges above a supporting surface level to supply air to all sides of the space surrounding said basket.
 4. An incinerator as set forth in claim 1, wherein an ashpan is removably mounted below said basket, a dumpable grate mounted between said basket and pan, and a skirt around said base having a door hinged on side for passage of said pan.
 5. An incinerator as set forth in claim 3, in which said skirt is flared outward at the bottom in frustopyramidal shape.
 6. An incinerator, comprising in combination, a vertical outer casing, a vertical combustion basket supported in said casing with an annular airspace therebetween, a stack above said casing and basket, a base supporting said casing, a turnable grate mounted below the lower end of said basket, an ashpan removably mounted below said grate, and a skirt surrounding said base and ashpan having a door openable for the insertion and removal of said ashpan, and said skirt having its lower edge disposed above the bottom of said base for the free inflow of air all around said grate and basket.
 7. An incinerator as set forth in claim 6, wherein said skirt is flared outward at the bottom.
 8. An incinerator as set forth in claim 6, wherein said casing is cylindrical and said base rectangular.
 9. An incinerator as set forth in claim 6, wherein means are provided for introducing air from around said basket into combustion gases passing upward from above said basket. 